Ep 3. Gwen or Lose

The episode "Gwen or Lose" is the third episode of the third season of Playing House, a comedy-drama television series. The show follows the lives of two best friends Emma (Jessica St. Clair) and Maggie (Lennon Parham) who reunite in their hometown to help each other out.

The plot revolves around Emma's struggle to deal with her feelings for her ex-boyfriend Mark (Keegan-Michael Key), who is currently engaged to her former friend Gwen (Kimiko Glenn). She finds herself questioning her emotional state and her choices as she tries to navigate the tricky situation.

At the same time, Maggie is dealing with her own problems as she tries to adjust to life as a single mother after her divorce from her husband Bruce (Brad Morris). She is also trying to get over him while co-parenting their son, Charlotte (played by twins Rylie and Shockley Glusman), and dealing with her unpredictable mother (Jane Kaczmarek).

As the episode progresses, Emma tries to suppress her feelings for Mark and focus on supporting him and Gwen for their upcoming wedding. But when she sees Gwen's wedding dress, she realizes that it's the same dress she was going to wear for her own wedding to Mark before their breakup. This leads to a meltdown and a heart-to-heart with Maggie, who tries to help Emma deal with her emotions.

Meanwhile, Maggie struggles with being a single mom and not having her ex-husband Bruce in her life. She is forced to deal with her mother's interfering and erratic behavior while trying to balance work and motherhood. She also has to deal with a difficult co-worker, Mary (Marissa Jaret Winokur), who is intent on making her life difficult.

The episode ends with a heartfelt conversation between Emma and Gwen, where they both come to a mutual understanding about their feelings for Mark and their friendship. Emma ultimately decides to let go of her feelings for Mark and let Gwen have her happy ending, while Maggie decides to take control of her life and make positive changes for the sake of herself and her son.

Overall, "Gwen or Lose" is a poignant and heartwarming episode that explores the complexities of adult relationships and the struggles of parenthood. It effectively balances humor with emotional depth, making it a standout episode of Playing House.